1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to balancing assemblies for rotating members. More particularly, the invention relates to self-aligning balancing assemblies for large cylindrical members, and even more particularly, to a self-aligning flange for mounting on opposing ends of a large cylindrical drum assembly.
2. Background
Industry is replete with many examples of large cylindrical drums that must be rotated for various reasons. For example, factories in the paper industry must employ large heavy drum assemblies for receiving and storing rolls of kraft paper. The road construction industry uses road machines having large drums with cutting blades embedded on the drum surface for abrading rock during road construction.
These cylindrical drum assemblies are generally massive and require a high torque motor or engine to initiate rotation of the drum and to maintain rotation during operation. Although the drum assemblies are rotated at a low number of revolutions per minute (rpm), the high mass of the drum results in several problems. First, the centrifugal force produced by the rotation of a high mass structure is extreme even at low rpm and necessitates a robust, heavy duty gear box to transmit the rotational force of the motor to the drum. Often, a separate gear box and motor assembly is used on each of the opposing ends of the axis about which the drum rotates. In such a configuration, one gear box and motor assembly is structured for clockwise rotation and the opposing gear box and motor assembly is structured for counter-clockwise rotation so that their rotational force combines to rotate the drum in a single direction. These gear box and motor assemblies distribute the force required to rotate the drum so that less robust gear boxes and motors may be used.
Second, if the drum is unbalanced around the axis of rotation so as to produce an oscillating radial force, this radial force will excessively wear the gear box and motor so as to cause premature failure. When using a pair of opposing gear box and motor assemblies, the centerline of both assemblies must be perfectly aligned to reduce radial forces and resultant wear on the bearings of these assemblies; otherwise the misalignment will cause premature failure of the bearings. This alignment may be achieved by precise machining and balancing of the drum. However, such machining and balancing for drums with diameters in excess of 12 inches and lengths in excess of five feet requires large, heavy duty, and expensive machines to turn the massive drums and cut away excess metal. High precision is difficult to attain when dealing with such heavy, bulky structures. Additionally, the removal, shipping, and replacement of the drum in its installed location is expensive in terms of required man power. The removal, shipping, and replacement can also be further complicated by the fact that machines employing such heavy drums, e.g. road equipment, are often used in remote locations where transportation is difficult and knowledgeable maintenance personnel are unavailable.
Third, during use, the drum is loaded by the work against which it rotates, e.g. the road surface for a cutting drum or the uneven winding of paper on a takeup drum in a paper plant. This loading coupled with the massiveness of the drum causes a small amount of deflection which also results in unbalancing of the drum assembly.
Fourth, even if the drum is perfectly balanced about its axis of rotation, the gear box must be positioned precisely so that the shaft is exactly collinear with the axis of rotation. This requires that the mounting surfaces for the gear box must be machined to very precise tolerances. On a large machine, this is very difficult and expensive, and, while it improves the initial misalignment, it does not help with the deflection problem.
As can be seen, there is a need for a method and apparatus to maintain the balance of a massive rotating drum assembly, reduce the requirement for close precision in the physical balancing process for the drum, and dynamically adjust for in-use deflection of the drum so that balance about the axis of rotation is maintained.